Spring Summit 2014

As a reseller of Landmark products for more years than I care to mention, I always look forward to getting together and socialising with the folks that provide my reports. It sadly doesn’t happen very often due to geography so to say that I leapt at the invitation to their Spring Summit is probably not an exaggeration.

Especially when it would bring me to the stunning Heythrop Park Resort in the Oxfordshire countryside, with amazing views, beautiful gardens and classic architecture. Not to mention an immediately warm welcome from the Landmark reps tastefully bedecked in matching corporate shirts, top brass included.

Any event that starts with lunch is a winner and after an informal sit-down buffet it was down to the meat of the day, the speakers.

The first talk by David Brammer of SGH Martineau on various aspects of planning law, while interesting, was not really aimed at my side of the business but I’m sure other delegates found plenty to take away from it.

Of more use to me was Andrew Wiseman’s insights into the working practices of solicitors and how we can target our services to their needs. Nothing earthshattering: they want things made easy for them and delivered cheaply. Who doesn’t? But sometimes it takes someone to spell out the bleeding obvious.

They also need products that will help them fulfill their due diligence commitments and chatting with the good people of Landmark reinforced to me that we’re in good hands on that score. They really have their finger on the pulse, delivering relevant information now but also looking to the future to ensure that the right reports will be available when needed. From Mr Wiseman’s presentation, not to mention headlines about fracking, it’s obvious that the Energy & Infrastructure reports will very soon become a vital part of the conveyancing process.

Rounding out the afternoon was a left field guest speaker in the form of a former SAS officer who gave us a fascinating personal insight into the special forces rescue of soldiers taken hostage in Sierra Leone.

If that was the meat of the day, there would be drink aplenty as the opulent, and decidedly less corporate, main part of Heythrop Park House played host to an informal evening reception. 

This was a particular highlight for me, meeting and mixing with fellow resellers - especially equally long standing companies like Jordans, STL, Geodesys and York Place - trading gossip and business cards and putting faces, not to mention personalities, to people either only known by name and reputation or usually only interact with via email.

The Landmark team certainly know the right balance between professionalism and friendliness. I left on Friday morning, with plenty to think about and new professional friendships to build on.

Since that was the Spring Summit, I postulated whether there’d be an Autumn Summit. Sadly sore heads were unable to give me a coherent answer.

Author: Philip Lawrence

L&A Agency Services Limited